MANASSEH CHALLENGES CLAIM THAT NORTHSHORE APPAREL WAS AN OFFICIAL 1D1F PROJECT
By Boakye Stephen, Kumasi, Ghana | Reporting for Ghanaian News Canada
Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has challenged claims that Northshore Apparel GH was established and financed as part of the previous government’s One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme.
According to Manasseh, the project concept was presented to the NPP government through the 1D1F Secretariat and the Ministry of Trade in 2022 for support. Although the proposal was acknowledged, he said the project did not receive funding under the 1D1F programme.
He explained that the factory’s financing at the time of its 2024 groundbreaking came from Investing for Employment, a KfW facility supported by the German Federal Ministry, a commercial loan from ADB PLC and equity contributions from the promoters.
According to him, the ADB facility was a purely commercial transaction and was not advanced through 1D1F or another concessionary government programme.
Manasseh said the first significant direct state financial intervention came later, when Ghana EXIM Bank evaluated the project after it faced completion difficulties in 2025. GEXIM subsequently paid off the ADB facility and provided concessionary financing that helped bring the factory to its current stage.
He also noted support from the Youth Employment Agency and National Youth Authority in training beneficiaries.
MAIN QUOTE:
“I have yet to see any evidence to the contrary that this project was under the 1D1F project.”
COMMENTARY:
The Northshore debate goes beyond one factory and touches on a recurring issue in Ghanaian politics: political ownership of development projects. A project may receive government support without necessarily being a government-initiated or government-financed project. The most credible way to settle such disputes is through financing records, official documents and a clear chronology showing who initiated, financed and supported the project at each stage.
